Laptops the Surprise Choice for Second Screening

Marketers predicting that smartphones and tablets are behind the “second screen” phenomenon have been implored to think again.

According to a recent consumer survey from digital ad solutions provider YuMe, laptops are the device of choice for 54% of all TV viewers participating in second screening. Smartphones and tablets chip in with a reasonable 41% stake, but there appears to be a preference among audiences for hard keys.

Other takings from the survey indicated that brands should be paying close attention to why consumers are switching from screen to screen, and to the promotional opportunities within.

Second screening sweeps the US

It was found that 33% of viewers consume 20-29 hours of programming in a typical week. A total of 44% take things one step further by watching short-form clips online, largely with the hope of gaining additional information about their favourite shows. Thus, the need to tap into TV audiences should still be a priority for brands.

With laptops driving the craze, 22% of the group admitted to using their connected device to look up a product or service they had seen advertised on the TV. A total of 20% spent their second-screen time interacting with a show’s page or fan page on social media, with 24% conversing with their social friends about the show.

Advertisers pondering over whether multi-screen campaigns are a worthwhile investment of their resources were given plenty of food for thought. A respectable 17% of the group claimed to second screen “all the time”, while 36% used dual windows “somewhat often”.

The study was based on American TV audiences - both online and offline - and included a number of questions for establishing what they get up to while taking in their favourite shows.

Conducted on Instant.ly, an on-demand consumer insights platform, a full infographic of the findings can be viewed below.

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Richard Towey

Richard is a former head of content at PerformanceIN. After many years spent covering developments from the automotive, sports, travel and finance sectors, he eventually turned his full attention to reporting on stories from the fast-evolving world of digital marketing.